Broken Wings, Faded Dreams
by Inuko
Summary: Where does gaming end and reality begin? When does digital become physical? Love is still love, at least to this priestess, this player, this girl, but is it real to him?


Heh. This was done for an iRO fanfic contest, but I changed the names for the final version. I'll leave this in it's original glory for however. It seems a little short and rushed, but I had a word limit: between 500 and 1500 words, so I couldn't do as much as I wanted. However…I do like this thing enough to possibly continue writing it into a series. For now, it remains a one shot. :3 Enjoy

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Broken Wings, Faded Dreams

By: inuko

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A soft breeze blew across the meadow, lifting emerald green tresses. No, no—the wind did not really do that. It could not do that…It was just a game. She was nothing but digital data manifested in the world known as Rune-Midgard. In this world, she was known simply as Riaru, a priestess born and built to protect others; no one really knew the girl behind the monitor. So why should anyone care…?

"Heh, I thought you'd be here."

Turning around, she saw before her someone utterly terrifying and beautiful. Her heart pounded and for a moment, she lost her breath. Riaru smiled, despite the ache in her heart. She smiled, despite the doubt in her mind. What was love? Could it really come so easily, in a matter of a few days? This person, so enigmatic and distant, fell for her, and

she for him.

Seated upon a magnificent bird, the Mighty Lu Bu looked spectacular against the cherry blossom trees in Amatsu. He looked around, making sure no one was there to listen in on their secret rendezvous. Satisfied that there were no spies running about, he dismounted his faithful peco, taking a seat next to the quiet priestess. With all his armor, the poor crusader clinked and clunked around as he sat down.

"How're you doing?" Riaru smiled to herself as she asked; she knew exactly what he would say by this point, but she still wanted to know. She wanted to know all about him…

"Eh. Pretty tired, just got home from work," He replied, sighing a bit. Or, that's how she would imagine him saying it. "I've too much stuff to do. School, work, other crap…You know, the usual…"

The priestess merely laughed and nodded her head; she knew, she knew, of course she knew. How could she forget? It was impossible to forget anything he said, to forget _him_. As the cherry blossom trees swayed gently around the couple, she felt at peace. Moving closer to Lu Bu, she kissed him tenderly, expressing the ease that was washing over her. She smiled again and laughed spontaneously.

"Oro? What are you laughing at?" the mighty crusader asked, looking curiously at the girl.

That only made her giggle some more, "I don't know—I just, when you're here—I can't help but feel this way!"

"Aww, honey, you're so cute," purred Lu Bu, pressing his lips against the priestess, "You're the cutest thing ever…!"

Riaru laughed, brushing back some strands of green hair, "No, you are! You are…the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I've never felt this way before…You're so special."

Tweaking an eyebrow, he looked at her curiously for a moment, as if unsure what to say. Finally, Lu only smiled sweetly at her.

"You're special to me too."

Those words have always been ringing in Riaru's mind, because of the affection she held for those words, but also because of the shadow of doubt that followed them. She had heard much of his former relationships; they seemed to be but wild infatuations, one after another. Who was to say that this one was any different? She needed to know, somehow, because …Because…! Because she loved him!

Trees danced quietly, the air blew softly and Riaru sat, watching her love through deep, blue eyes.

"…Would you fight for me?"

The priestess' soft spoken words hung in the perfumed air of Amatsu, slowly ebbing away in the tide of tranquility. In the silence, a world came crashing down…This was just a game, after all. It wasn't a face to face meeting, with undivided attentions being showered upon her. No, this wasn't anything like that…He was a busy man, as always. Busy now, busy later, busy seemingly forever. Defeating monsters, leveling up, working…Didn't matter what, he had a busy schedule and there was no room for her. He had a whole other life; a whole other life that didn't include her.

It was easy to tell when someone was off doing something else in this silly little game. Silence, no movement, the blank stare—they were all classic symptoms of floating into another world or dealing with another situation. This was beginning to become too much for the "priestess". She had been patient, tolerant, loving, kind…But she was not a priestess. Riaru was a person outside of this game, outside of Rune Midgard, with feelings and emotions, the same as everyone else. Her feelings were real, and it seemed as if…as if Lu Bu didn't understand it at all.

She didn't have a heart that pounded when she talked with him.

She didn't have dreams.

She wasn't real, not to him.

But she still loved him.

Getting up, Riaru just looked at him, stared thoughtfully and wondered if, in another place, another time, in reality, if they could ever be together. It didn't matter anymore. By not answering, he had already made his choice. There were other things to do, and even if it was just a game…

Riaru is still Riaru, a girl playing a game, somewhere out there, waiting for his response…

Just as she had given up all hope, he spoke.

"Sorry, there were some guild things I had to take care of."

Somehow, she would have preferred if he had just stayed quiet.

"I…Lu…" The priestess started, speaking softly. The words wouldn't shine through the storm her mind was in.

"…What is it?"

Again, she faltered before him, "Lu, I-…"

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. The storm was building to tumultuous heights and it was all becoming too much. Peace, caution, wisdom—all thrown to the wind as her emotions took over and she let him have the truth.

"Lu, would you sacrifice yourself for me?" She finally yelled, standing up suddenly. She looked at him directly, tears cascading down her face.

The might crusader just looked thoughtfully at her, and then turned away. He didn't know what to say. This girl was special…

"…I…I would sacrifice myself for you," her sapphire eyes turned away from him and turned to the blossoms twirling and dancing in the Amatsu breeze. Things were so easy here, so peaceful, so…unrealistic. No. She was real. Her feelings were real. He had to know that. She had to tell him, no matter what, "Did I ever tell you what my priestess's name means? It's taken from a song, and it means 'real'. The song…it's called 'Real Emotion'…"

She whirled around, green tresses flying, "I'm REAL, Lu. My feelings, my heart, my soul, EVERYTHING…It's all real…I love you, Lu Bu. Mighty, mighty Lu Bu, I love you…"

Shaking his head of shaggy brown hair, he made a move to reply, "Steph—"

"You called me by my real name," she laughed emptily, "Am I real person now? It doesn't matter anymore…"

Quietly, she sang, "_Ima kimi to ikiteku hitotoki wa yume jya nai kara_..."

With puzzled brown eyes, he only looked at her.

" 'This moment I live with you now isn't a dream'…" Through tears, the priestess smiled beautifully at him and kissed him one last time. "One day, you'll understand. I hope…you won't hate me for this…"

Looking at her hand, her smile held a hint of sadness and she slipped off a little golden ring, pressing it into Lu Bu's hands. She pressed rose tinted lips against his thickly armored hand, then his forehead, and finally on his soft lips as well. There was love, but also such sorrow in that kiss…

Backing away, she just stared at him, standing magnificently with his powerful mount, glistening silver in the rays of an Amatsu sunset. With the cherry blossoms twirling their way through the airs, he seemed less like a soldier heading off to war, but more like…the man she knew he was to become. Or, so she hoped.

Riaru sighed, "You are…amazing. But…I know…you don't love me. I…I hope that one day, you can find that girl you'll love forever, the girl you'll fight for, die for, live for…That someone just for you."

Tears shed, a final smile, and she turned to look at him, letting him see her in that pale violet uniform for the last time.

"One day, you'll find someone to love…But that isn't me…I…love you."

With a flash of light, she was gone. She had…logged out of Ragnarok Online for the last time. Tears fell as the game closed for the last time…

Left speechless, Lu Bu opened up his hand to stare at the winking gold ring in his hand. Inside, there was an engraving…

"…Riaru…"


End file.
